[Author Note: Just a quick write-up for part of a scene I want to write one day for a much larger fic. The premise is that Luke meets Vader early and finds out about his parentage early as well, and after a long internal struggle-where he keeps quiet about it while he dodges the Empire and Vader as best he can-he eventually decides that he can't outrun the truth any longer, or let his friends remain potential targets for Vader to pick off.]
"Hey!" Han caught up to Luke and caught him by the elbow, before the kid could climb the ladder to his X-wing. Luke tugged on his arm, but Han yanked him away from the ladder. From his perch in the small ship, Artoo whistled sharply, apparently in alarm.
"Luke, why didn't-" Han broke off; quickly scanned the hangar for stragglers. Should've done that first, but he couldn't let the kid go without talking to him. A few droids puttered away at their tasks, but Han didn't see any organic Alliance personnel present. He turned back to Luke; lowered his voice all the same. "Why didn't you tell me about you and Vader?" he demanded.
Luke froze up, like an animal; then pulled harder to free his arm. "I don't have time for this right now," he muttered.
"I'm serious!" Han let him go, but only after yanking him further from the snubfighter. He transferred his hands to his hips, the very image of indignancy. "I get why these bleeding-heart types can't know. But why didn't you tell me? I woulda kept it a secret."
Luke shouldered the bag on his shoulder awkwardly and Han did a double-take. He'd completely overlooked the duffel Luke was carrying. A string of exotic curses ran through his head; most of them Luke probably had never heard off. "You're not just going on patrols tonight, huh?" he said, unable to keep the sharp accusation from his voice.
Luke didn't break eye contact. But he had to blink back the urge. "No," he said steadily. "I'm leaving."
"I would've bet good money that out of the two of us, I'd be the one to break ranks and run for it."
Now Luke did look away, head inclined, lines etched all over his face. "I can't stay."
"I'll keep it a secret, Luke! Even the princess won't find out."
"It's not that simple," Luke said.
"Yeah it is," Han said. "Trust me. I know personally that you can pretend to be anything, if you just don't care enough."
"My name isn't a secret to the Empire, Han. Remember? He already knows about me."
That made Han pause, just for a moment; he had to suppress the urge to recoil as he processed it.
Well, it explained how dogged Vader had gotten of late. Vader didn't want the Rebel who destroyed the Death Star. He wanted his kid-the kid that had been hidden away from him, if Han's information was to be believed. Apparently, Luke hadn't been hidden enough. Vader had figured it out, somehow. Maybe Vader used to be a Skywalker-or married to one. Or-was Vader just Vader and Luke had been the one with the name change?
"How do you think I found out?" Luke said. "He was the one who told me."
"You talked with him?"
"Yeah. Do you get it now?" Luke's tone went harsh. "I won't be coming back. The Alliance isn't going to accept me after I take care of this."
"And why not?" Han's voice rose dangerously loud, though the droids going through their pre-programmed duties didn't react. "You're the best pilot they got."
"It's fraternization. And I can't sort this out by shooting him or attacking him with my lightsaber. It's too deep now."
Han stepped around him and leaned a hand against the X-wing's bulkhead. To Luke it might've looked as if he were acting as a barrier between him and his ship, but he might collapse if he didn't steady himself. "I can't let you run off to that guy, Luke."
"Then he'll keep chasing me, and anyone he can use to get to me."
Han had nothing to say to that. It was true. "Well-why's he care?" He tried a different angle. "Vader isn't the sentimental type from what I know."
"I can't tell you what he wants," Luke said. "All I can say is that I won't give it to him."
Han laughed dryly; humorlessly. "Kid, you go to him, it won't matter what you think is going to happen. It'll be over for you."
"Maybe." Luke started to climb the ladder to his X-wing. "But maybe not for you and Leia."